Lens grinding and polishing machine



April 23, 1929; LONG I 1,709,943

LENS GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed Dec. -10, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEY-S April 23, 1929. E LON 1,709,943

LENS GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed Dec: 10, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 x 4 7o 62 7o 4 J INV 'NTOR.

WIT 55 M W v ATT NEYS,

April 23, 1929. NG 1,709,943

LENS GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 10, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I VENTOR. 672114;;

55 1 Mu) I I ATTRNEYS.

Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELI MAYNARD LONG, 0F GENEVA, NEW YOIRZ K, .ASSIGNOR TO SHUR-ON STANDARD OPTICAL COMPANY, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LENS GRINDING AND POLISHING MACHINE.

Application filed lleoember 10, 1926. Serial No. 153,880.

This invention relates to a lens grinding and polishing machlne 1n which the movable elements ofa plurality of, in this instance two, grinding and polishing couples are syn- I chronously rcciprocated 1n different d1rec-.

to prevent the formation of stria' or other deformations incidental to the travel of the movable elements along one and the same path.

The main object is to provide simple and efiicient means for effecting a slow but continuous (not intermittent) movement of the movable elements from the normal path of travel resulting from the compound reciprocal movements in different directions and thereby to avoid the jar and incidental irregularity of abrasion of the lens due to any abrupt or intermittent shifting of the normal paths of movement of the movable elements thus permitting the lens to be more expeditiously and accurately ground or polished to the desired contour and finish than has heretofore been practicable.

Another object is to provide means whereby lhe amplitude of the transverse movement of the movableelements may be easily and quickly varied by a simple adjustment without removing any of the parts of the machine.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the machine will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lensgrinding, polishing and surfacing machine 4 embodying the various features of this in- Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional View taken in the plane of line DD, Figure 5. A

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken in the plane of line EE, Figure 2.

Figure 8 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same machine taken in the plane of line FF, Fig. 1.

Figure 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line GG, Figure 2.

Figure 10 is an enlarged detail sectional. view taken on line H-H, Figure 2.

Figure' I1 is a detail sectional view taken in the plane of line 'I I,' Figure 10.

As illustrated, this'machine comprisesa main supporting frame consisting of a box section or housing i-1 and a topsect-ion '2 which is secured by screwsor bolts 3- to the box section 1- and is provided with a lid hinged thereto to per-' mit access to the interior mechanisms when opened and to exclude dust and other foreign matter when closed, the box section -1 being provided along the lower edge of its front side with a work and tool-supporting shelf 5. n

A main driving shaft 6- is jou'rnaled in suitable bearings 7 and -7 of one of the end walls and rear side wall of the housing -1 to revolve about a horizontal axis and is'provided with external tight and loose pulleys 8 and 9' and a hand wheel 10 by which it may be turned independently of the tight pulley 8- which may be driven from any available source of power by a suitable belt capable of being shifted from the tight to the loose pulley and vice versa by means of a shifting rod -11 and hand lever 12' as shown more clearly in Figure 2, said shifting rod and lever beingmounted upon suitable brackets 11' and 12 on the rear side and at one end of the case respectively.

The machine is adapted to operate the movable elements of a plurality of, in this instance two, lens surface grinding and polishing'couples, each comprising a relatively stationary lap-supporting element 13+- and a. movable lens-carrying element '14,

the lap-supporting element 13 being adapted to receive and support a grinding lap 15. shown by full lines in Figures 1 and 2 and by dotted lines in Figure 4 while the lens-carrying element l 4 is operatively connected to a lens-supporting block -16 for moving the lens as --a-- across and upon the upper surface of the lap which may be provided with an abrasive paste for effecting the desired grinding and polishing of the lens to conform to the uppersurface of the lap.

These laps are, of course, of various contours and must be interchanged from time to time upon the supporting elements 13 and are releasably held in operative position thereon by a cam shaft 17 and opposite diagonal pins l8 adapted to enter corresponding sockets in the underside of their respective laps. 1 v j Each cam shaft --17 is journaled in its corresponding element -13-- to rotate about a vertical axis and is provided with a handle 19 by which it may be turned to its lapreleasing position against the action of a reracting spring 20which serves to hold the cam shaft in its lap-locking position with the handle -19- engaging a limiting stop -21 as shown in Figure 10.

The lap-supporting members -13 are mounted upon separate brackets -22 which in turn are adj ustably secured by a bolt 23 to the front face of the front wall of the case 1 so as to be capable of lengthwise adjustment thereon, said brackets being provided withforwardly projecting studs 24. upon which the members --13 are directly mounted for forward and rearward adjustment and are held in their adjusted position by set screws 25--, Figure 10.

Each of the members 13 is also provids ed with a threaded socket 26 for receiving stop screws 27-, the rear ends of which are slidable in apertures 28 in their respective brackets -22-- and are adapted to engage the front face of the case -1 for limiting the rearward. movement of the lap-' supporting member -13 and also serving to hold said members against turning movement upon their supporting studs 2 1.'

The lens carrying elements --14 are pivotally mounted for tilting movement upon suitable supports within the case -1 and extend outwardly through openings 29 in thefront wall of the case 1- so as to overlie and project forwardly beyond the corresponding lap-supporting elements '13-- and are provided with pins 30 for engaging in sockets in the upper sides of the adjacent lens-supporting members -16* for moving the lens across the surface of the lap as the members 14- are reciprocated ina manner hereinafter described.

-A pair of upright standards or guides 31 are secured by bolts 32- to the top section 2 near the front edge thereof to extend upwardly therefrom for receiving and supporting a pair of vertically movable arms A pair of levers 34 are pivoted at 35 to their respective arms --B3 and are connected by links 36 to the upper ends of the guides or standards -31-- as shown in Figure 4 whereby the forward and rearward robking movement of the hand levers --34 will effect a corresponding vertical movement of the arms -35 which are preferably arranged directly over and some distance above their respective lens supporting-arms --14 A pair of leather adjusting straps 37-. are secured at their lower ends to the front ends of their corresponding lens-supporting arms ---14 and are adjustable vertically through openings 38 in the arms 33-- for effecting a corresponding vertical adjustment of the arms 14, said straps being held in their adjusted positions by set screws 39, Figure 1 to limit movement of the lens-holder toward the lap 15- and to allow the lens-holder to yield vertically.

The object of the adjustments of the lapsupporting block -13. is to bring the lap within the range of movement of the lensholder l6-'while the object in adjusting front end of the arm -14-- and its upper end guided in an aperture 43-' in the arm 33 as shown in Figure 4.

Length wise reciprocal movement.

Suitable mechanism is provided for transmitting compound and synchronous reciprocatory'motion from the main driving shaft 6 to the movable grinding element, in this instance, thelens-oarrier 14:- and for this purpose the driving shaft 6 is provided with a worm g'ear.4;4 and an eccentric extension stud. 45, the worm gear -44c being secured to the intermediate portion of the shaft within the housing 1 and adjacent the inner end of the bearing 7 while the eccentric stud 45 forms a continuation of the inner end ofsaid shaft within said housing to rotate bodily about the axis thereof.

The worm gear or pinion l4 meshes with the upper side of an underlying relative- III ly larger gear -4:6 which is j ournaled upon axis of-the driving shaft -6, said st'ationary shaft or stud being removably secured by a set screw 48 to thelrear wall of the case 1, Figure 3, to extend forwardly therefrom. r

A yoke member 49 is ournaled on the inner end of the stationary shaft 47 and is operatively connected by arms -\50 to the gear 46 to rotate therewith and to form an intervening space for receiving a pair of collars 51- which are secured to the stationary shaft 47- by set screws -52 to hold the gear 46 and yoke member 49 against axial movement.

gaged in a diametrically extending threaded aperture in the stud -53- while the friction block 55 is seated in one or the other of a pair of diametrically opposite recesses in the stud 53 and is adapted to frictionally engage the adjacent wall of the opening in which the stud -53 is journaled when the screw 54 is tightened.

The screw 54- extends through a circumferentially elongated slot 56 in the yoke member 49 to permit relative rotary adjustment of the stud 53 for a purpose presently described.

: The stub shaft -53- is provided with a disk 57 carrying an axially-extending stud 58- which is eccentric to and parallel with the stub shaft 53.

-T his eccentric pin 58 serves as the initialdriving means for reciprocating the lenssupporting arms 14-- of both of the lensholders 14 lengthwise of the axis of the main driving shaft -6 and for this purpose is provided with a sleeve 59- journaled thereon, said sleeve being pivotally connected to one end of a link -60 having its other end connected by a universal joint -6l-, Figure 5, to a floating frame 62-.

This frame 62 is free to move longitudinally and transversely of the main driving shaft 6 and is pivotally supported in a substantially horizontal plane upon a pair of longitudinally spaced upright supports 63, Figures 4 and 8,' which, in turn, are pivotally mounted upon a vertically oscillating frame 64 for rocking movement about parallel axes at right angles to the axis of the driving shaft 6 for reciprocating the movable elements of the lens grinding and polishing couples lengthwise of the axis of the driving shaft.

The upper ends of the upright members 63 are bifurcated to receive adjacent portions of opposite ends of the floating member -62 to which they are pivoted at 65 so that the floating member 62 constitutes a connecting link between the upper ends of its supportmg arms .63 for simultaneously rocking sald arms 1n reverse directions as the floating member 62 is reciprocated lengthwise of the shaft 6- by the rotation of the yoke member 'l9 through the medium of the eccentric pin 58 and link 59. 1

A pair of reversely arranged substantially L-shaped arms 66 and 6 7, Figures 2 and 8, are pivotally mounted at -68 and v 69- respectively upon the floating member 62- to swing about co-axial axes parallel with the axis of the driving shaft 6 and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the pivotal connection 65- between the floating member -62 and its supporting arms 63 the L shaped 'members -66 and -67 being movable vertically independently of each other for a purpose presently described. &

The lens-carrying elements 14- are pivoted at 70 to the L-shaped arms (56- and 67 respectively to swing about parallel axes at substantially right angles to the driving shaft 6 to compensate for varying positions of their respective lens-holders 16- when movin across the faces of their corresponding lapsfthe pivots 70 of each lens-operating arm 14 being disposed in approximately the horizontal plane of and nearly coaxial with the pivots 65-. 4

Trans-verse movement.

The frame 64- is pivotally mounted at 7lupon suitable lugs on the bottom of the case l, Figure 8, to rock vertically about a horizontal axis parallel with the axis of the driving shaft 6 and to which the upright members are pivoted at 63 at'the front and rear sides of the pivots -71 for the frame --64, see Figures 4 and S.

A curved arm 72 is adjustably secured at one end by a set screw -'Z3- to the central portion of the frame 6:t to extend rearwardly therefrom some distance below and substantially concentric with the axis'of the main driving shaft 5.

A yoke member 74 is adjustable lengthwise of and upon the curved portion of the arm 72 and is held in its adjusted position by a set screw -'Z5-, Figures 5 and 6, and is provided with a cylindrical bearing -76 in which is journaled a rotary eccentrio 77-.'

The eccentric'77 is journaled upon a stud 78, which, in turn, is secured to the lower end of a connecting rod or pitman -79 having its upper end provided with a journal bearing-80- for receiving the eccentric extension 'l5 of the driving shaft 1 couples through the medium of the upright arms 63, floating member '62 and L- shaped arms -66 and 67.

Third movement.

An upwardly inclined shaft -81 is journaled insuitable bearings upon the pitman 79 and is provided at its upper end with a gear 82- meshing with a companion gear worm 83. on the inner endof the eccentrio extension 45 to whlch 1t is secured, 1

the lower end of said shaft being provided with a Worm 84.- meshing with a Worm gear 85 on the inner end of the eccentric sleeve 77,?Figures 5 and 6, whereby as the pitman 79 is reciprocated for moving both of the lens-carrying elements 14 transversely of the driving shaft the rotation of the eccentric 77 will cause a grad ual but, continuous shifting of the arc of movement of the frame 64 which, in

turn, will cause a corresponding shifting of the stroke of the transverse movement of the lens-carrying arm -14 and lens-holders 16 actuated thereby relatively to their respective lap-supporting members l3-.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that these three movements, viz., (1) the lengthwise movement, (2), the transverse movement, and (3) the shifting movement of the lens-carrying elements ;-14 and lensholder 16 actuated thereby, will be synchronous and simultaneous resulting in the travel of the lens-holder across the face of the lap in serpentine paths and also in the gradual but continuous changing of these paths during successive lengthwise and transverse strokes of the lens-carriers.

Lubricating means.

I upright tube 9.3 having its upper end threaded and secured in a threaded socket S4 in the bracket 90'- as shown more clearly in Figure 7.

. The inner chamber of the case 1- containsa quantity of oil for lubricating purposes into which the lower ends of the tubes 92 and e-93 normally extend, said tubes being provided .near their lower ends with oil as the outer tube continues its descent thereby causing a quantity of oil to be forced into the interior of the inner tube 96 so that when the outer tube is raised the valve 97 will automatically close trap the oil in the inner tube and force it upwardly into the chamber 94 and thence through suitable distributing pipes 99-- leading from the chamber 94 to such bearings as may require lubrication, the upper sides of the inner ends of the -lens-carrying arms 14.-s bein pro-.

vided with V-shaped grooves '10- for receiving lubricant from the distributing pipes 99 and thereby lubricating the bearings 65 and -70.

The purpose of the rotary adjustment of the rotary stub shaft 53 carrying the.

eccentric pin 58 is to bring said pin nearer to or farther from the axis of the shaft 48 for varying the lengthwise stroke of the link 60 and floating member "62 actuated thereby and to cause a corresponding variation in the longitudinal movement of the lens-carrying members 14-.

To effect this rotary. adjustment the clamping screw -51 will be, loosened and moved along the slot 56,' Figure 9, ther'eby'effecting a corresponding bodily movement of the pin -58 about the axis of the stub shaft -53 toward or away from the axis of the shaft "47' as shown by dotted lines in Figure 9. Y

If it is desired to increase the amount of throw of the eccentric pin 58 the clamping screw-54- may be removed from, the stop shaft 53 and the latter turned half way aroundto effect a corresponding bodily movement of the eccentric pin 58- whereupon the clamping screw 54 may be re-inserted in the threaded opening in the stub shaft 53 and tightened when the proper adjustment is effected to hold the eccentric pin '58- in fixed relation to the stub shaft '-53-"and yoke member 49 Operation. 3 When the lens-holders with the lenses thereon are placed in operative position for grinding or'polishing and the driving shaft '6 is.being rotated, rotary motion will be transmitted from the pinion -4i to the gear --46- and yoke member 49+- connected thereto thereby moving the eccentric stub pin causes a corresponding reciprocal movement of the link 60 and floating member 62 lengthwise of the axis of the driving shaft and also rocks the supports 63 in the same directions.

This lengthwise movement of the floating member 63 is transmitted to the L-shaped arms 66 and 67 and thence through said arms to the lens-carrier 1& which are pivotally mounted upon their respective arms 67 and cause corresponding movements of the lens-holders 16 upon their respective laps 15 in the direction of length of the axis of the driving shaft 6.

Simultaneously. with these movements the eccentric extension 45 on the inner end of themain driving shaft 6 .is rotated bodily about the axis of said driving shaft and through the medium of the pitman 79 transmits vertical reciprocatory motion to the stud -78 and thence through the eccentric 77 and yoke 78 to the curved arm -72 for rocking the frame 64 vertically about the. axis of its pivots -71.and therefore transversely of the axis of the main driving shaft 6.

This transverse rocking movement of the member 64 is transmitted to the upright arms -63 and thence to the floating member 62 carrying the arms 66- and -67'- from which transverse movement is imparted to the lens-carriers 14.

During these lengthwise and transverse movements of the lens-holders 14. the

shaft -81 is slowly rotated to effect a still slower rotation of the eccentric 77 which, in turn, gradually shifts the arm .72 of the frame 6 1 vertically thereby causing a variation in the transverse path of operation lengthwise and also transversely l of the main driving shaft for preventing the formation of stria or deformations of the lens surfaces.

What I claim is:-

1. In a lens-grinding and polishing maing an eccentric, a pitman journaled on the eccentric, a driven shaft journaled on the pitman 'and provided with an eccentric, means for transmitting rotary motion from the driving shaft to the driven shaft, a yoke journaled on the eccentric of the driven shaft, a pivotally supported frame operatively connected to and oscillated by the yoke, a floating frame operatively mounted on the firstnamed frame to move therewith in reverse directions and having an independent reciprocal movement in a difli erent direction, means actuated by the driving shaft for effecting said independent movement, and means for transmitting motion from said floating frame to one of said elements.

2. In a lens-grinding and polishing machine, a lens-grindin g element, a lens-holding element, movable supporting means for one of said elements, a rotary driving shaft, means actuated by said shaft for reciprocating said supporting means transversely of the shaft, and means actuated by said shaft for reciprocating said supporting means lengthwise of the'shaft, the second-named means including means for automatically varying the amount of movement of the supporting means transversely of and during each revolution of the shaft.

3. In a lens-grinding and polishing machine, a lens grinding element, a lens-holding element, movable supporting means for one of said elements, a rotary driving shaft, means actuated by said shaft for recipro eating said supporting means lengthwise of the shaft and including means adjustable at will for varying the'amount of movement of said supporting means, and means actuated by said shaft forreciprocating the supporting means transversely of the shaft.

4. In a lens-grinding and polishing machine, a lens-grindin g element, a lens-holding element, movable supporting means for one of said elements, a rotary driving shaft, a rotary driven member actuated by said shaft, a crank pin mounted on said driven member and adjustable at will to different distances from the axis of the driven member,

means for holding the crank pin in its ad-' justed position, means actuated by the crank pin for reciprocating said supporting means,

-and means actuated by the driving shaft for reciprocating the supporting means in a different direction 'from that produced by the v crank-pin.

hand this 26 day of November 1926.

ELI MAYNARD LONG.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my l 

